That’s it from Grace Road today. Hopefully there will be play here tomorrow, and we will keep you updated with scores on Twitter.
But the blog’s next outing will be Friday. Roll on Essex!
REACTION
Steve Patterson said: “The main thing for us was to get out on grass and get some overs under the belt. It’s been a very frustrating two or three weeks since we came back from South Africa. We did some great work there. Just to get out there and get 50 overs in the field was pleasing.
“To get wickets at any stage of the season is nice. But, at the moment, it was more important to get some overs under the belt so that come the weekend we’re ready as bowlers.”
3.52pm – CLOSE
Play has been called off for the day at Grace Road, where Yorkshire have reached 38-0 after 11.1 overs in reply to 139-8.
3.30pm
We are off for rain. The umpires, who have resisted for some time, have finally taken the players off with Yorkshire 38-0 in the 12th over. Lyth 27 with five fours and Lees 2.
3.12pm
Despite a quartet of vociferous lbw shouts from Gavin Griffiths (those unruly Lancastrians, hey!), Yorkshire have advanced to 23-0 after eight overs of their first innings. Adam Lyth has 16 and Alex Lees one.
LEICESTERSHIRE INNINGS REPORT
Steve Patterson led the way with four wickets for Yorkshire as they restricted Leicestershire to 139-8 from 50 overs on day one of their friendly at the Fischer County Ground, Grace Road.
Both sides will bat and bowl for 50 overs per day as they build up to opening Championship matches against Essex and Sussex respectively.
Patterson bowled Paul Horton, had Neil Dexter caught at slip and Michael Carberry caught behind before lunch. Afterwards, he had seamer Tom Taylor caught behind on the way to figures of 4-23 from 12 overs.
Jack Brooks and Josh Shaw both struck twice apiece at either end of the Foxes innings, for whom Ateeq Javid and Dieter Klein both hit 28.
2.30pm – INNINGS CLOSE
Leicestershire finish on 139-8 from 50 overs.
Yorkshire’s bowling figures: –
Jack Brooks 12-5-19-2
Matthew Fisher 2-1-2-0
Tim Bresnan 12-2-42-0
Steve Patterson 12-4-23-4
Josh Shaw 12-3-39-2
Play will resume in 10 minutes.
2.18pm
Wickets continue to tumble, and it’s a fourth for Patterson as he gets Leicestershire seamer Tom Taylor, formerly of Derbyshire, caught behind. 131-8.
2.11pm
Another for Shaw, and it’s the same combination – caught Lyth in the slips. Gavin Griffiths departs this time caught at second slip, low down to his left. 126-7 in the 47th.
2.03pm
Wow!! Stunning one-handed catch from Adam Lyth at third slip diving to his right helps Josh Shaw get rid of Dieter Klein for 28. Leicestershire are now 124-6 in the 45th over. That sets the standard early.
1.53pm
The rain is coming down quite heavily now as Josh Shaw bounces Dieter Klein, with Leicestershire 122-5 in the 43rd over. Klein is unbeaten on 27 and is close to being the day’s high scorer.
1.30pm
Yorkshire’s healthy day with the ball continues as Jack Brooks, headband and all, gets Ateeq Javid caught behind for 28. The former Warwickshire man was pushing forward and offered a low but comfortable catch to Andrew Hodd. Leicestershire 102-5 in the 37th of 50 overs. Ben Raine comes in.
1.13pm
A few brave and cold souls have just seen Jack Leaning parry a quarter chance round the post at third slip as Klein edges Bresnan just wide of third slip. Had he taken it, we’d have been talking about an early contender for catch of the season. 89-4 in the 33rd now.
1pm
We’re underway after lunch at Grace Road, where it is raining ever so slightly. Nothing to worry about for now. The Foxes are 81-4 with Ateeq Javid and Dieter Klein in the early stages of their innings. Tim Bresnan is bowling.
12.35pm – LUNCH
Steve Patterson claimed three of the four Leicestershire wickets to fall during the opening session of Yorkshire’s friendly at the Fischer County Ground, Grace Road, this morning.
The hosts have reached lunch at 81-4 after 29 overs.
Seamer Patterson bowled Paul Horton, had Neil Dexter caught at slip by Alex Lees and removed Michael Carberry caught behind before Jack Brooks bowled Colin Ackermann.
Leicestershire fell from 25-0 to 76-4.
They will bat for 50 overs today before Yorkshire bat. The same is expected to happen during tomorrow’s second and final day.
There has been some bad news for the White Rose, however, in the form of a suspected side injury for Matthew Fisher after bowling just two overs with the new ball.
He will be assessed over the next 24 hours.
Josh Shaw, who wasn’t in the original Yorkshire team for this fixture, has come on and bowled in his place.
Ateeq Javid is unbeaten on 18 and Dieter Klein nought.
12.24pm
A fourth wicket for Yorkshire comes in the form of Jack Brooks bowling Colin Ackermann. The South African was caught on the crease and, like Paul Horton earlier, sees him off stump rocked back. Leicestershire are now 76-4. In other news, Matthew Fisher has a suspected side strain picked up in his two overs with the new ball this morning. He will be monitored over the next 24 hours.
11.53am
It’s that man again. Patterson grabs his third as Michael Carberry edges behind for 21. 52-3 now.
11.45am
Steve Patterson strikes again, getting Neil Dexter caught at slip by Alex Lees as he attempted to drive through the covers for eight. 47-2 in the 19th over. Josh Shaw is on to bowl – he’s a late replacement for David Willey in the team.
11.30am
Yorkshire have taken their first wicket in the last 20 minutes or so, Steve Patterson uprooting Paul Horton’s off-stump for 10. 25-1 in the 15th. It’s currently 33-1 in the 17th with Neil Dexter and Michael Carberry together.
11am
Quiet start to proceedings here, where Horton and Carberry have been watchful. Fews plays and misses. Matthew Fisher has left the field for treatment and was feeling his side on the way off. Leicestershire 20-0 in the ninth.
10.32am
Jack Brooks, bowling to four slips, has just completed the first over of the morning and conceded eleven, including four byes down leg off each of the final two deliveries of the over at Paul Horton. Michael Carberry facing Matthew Fisher now.
Change of format
The two sides have now opted to bowl for 50 overs and bat for 50 overs today. We are likely to have a half hour lunch and use innings break as tea.
Yorkshire will be bowling today
Good morning
Welcome to the Fischer County Ground, Grace Road, where Yorkshire’s summer begins with a two-day friendly against Leicestershire, starting at 10.30am.
We are introducing a new blog for the opening day of this fixture, one which will run throughout the season for Championship and one-day matches.
Andrew Gale has named a 12-man squad, and the likelihood is that all players will take part at some stage, although that has yet to be 100 percent confirmed.
The Yorkshire squad is as follows: Ballance c, Bresnan, Brook, Brooks, Fisher, Hodd, Leaning, Lees, Lyth, Patterson, Pujara, Willey.
Although it has been a foggy start to the day in the East Midlands, things are looking good for a prompt start.
Leicestershire’s squad is as follows: Carberry c, Ackermann, Chappell, Dexter, Eckersley w, Griffiths, Hill, Horton, Javid, Klein, Parkinson, Raine, Taylor.
